INDUSTRY

StampingSimulation.com today released four new innovative Service Options, providing sheet metal tooling manufacturers with better value access to forming simulation technology. StampingSimulation.com was established to give the sheet metal tooling industry affordable access to advanced forming simulation technology”, explains founding Director and Lead Engineer, Rupert Bliesner. “Most people in the tooling business know of the benefits that forming simulation can bring, but many are scared off by the high costs associated with owning it. Not only do they need to buy an expensive license, but they must have their staff trained on the software as well. All this adds up to big bucks.” Mr. Bliesner, who has over five years experience at a major Japanese Auto Maker, explains that Forming Simulation technology need not be reserved exclusively for the big multi-nationals. “What we are doing at StampingSimulation.com is providing affordable access to forming simulation technology to those who previously thought they could not afford it. Our customers do not require any licenses to use our service, and need no knowledge of Finite Element Analysis software. We provide the results our customers’ need, when they need them”. StampingSimulation.com today has launched four new service options, consisting of OptimizerOnlineSM, a free Blank Shape Nesting report; QuickQuoteAssistSM, a package service designed to help improve accuracy in the quotation stage of bidding for new work; SimulateLiteSM, a service package designed to give a quick, accurate check on the formability of an already designed die face; and SimulateCompleteSM, a full service offering, where a series of simulations are run to help the customer find the optimal simulated design. OptimizerOnlineSM Price: FREE Since re-launching in July 2006 as StampingSimulation.com, the site has offered the industry’s only free online, real-time optimization Nesting Report. Now re-branded, users of OptimizerOnlineSM need only upload their CAD file to get their free nesting report in as little as 15 minutes. The full blank shape data can then be purchased for $75, enabling customers to carry out their first tool tryout. QuickQuoteAssistSM Price: $75 Mr. Bliesner continues, “Material optimization is one thing, however one of the biggest challenges for tooling manufacturers is in having enough information to be able to accurately quote and bid for jobs. Often, there is not enough time to properly analyze things, which can lead to ‘quotation inflation’. Subsequently, the job is lost. We have developed the QuickQuoteAssistSM package to give companies a competitive advantage by increasing the accuracy of the quotations for the work they are bidding on”. Customers of the service need only submit their CAD data to StampingSimulation.com, who then perform a single step forming simulation, highlighting likely problem areas. “We believe that at $75, QuickQuoteAssistSM represents excellent value for money, and will help tooling manufacturers win more jobs through an increased understanding of the formability of the part before they quote on the job”. SimulateLiteSM Price: $495 The third new service being offered at StampingSimulation.com is SimulateLiteSM; a service which has been designed for companies that already have a complete design, but would like to test the design before the tool is cut. Lead Engineer, Rupert Bliesner comments, “Quite often a job has been fully developed, but the engineer is unsure as to whether or not the design is up to scratch. SimulateLiteSM has been created to meet this need. All customers need to do is supply us with the die face data, and for $495, we give them back a full incremental forming simulation, showing the die face data as a complete set of 3D results including detailed forming limit information, material thinning, blank development accuracy, required forming forces and spring back. If you are worried about your die face design, SimulateLiteSM will help you understand splits, wrinkles and material thinning before you machine the tool”. SimulateCompleteSM Price: From $995 “Our fourth service offering, SimulateCompleteSM, is our full service package. Starting at just $995, the SimulateCompleteSM package gives our customers the best design process possible using forming simulation”. Customers are provided with a complete and detailed report (including full Blank Development, Forming Forces Diagram, Material Thinning Diagram, Spring Back Analysis and Die Face Compensation). Additionally, all results are supplied in 3D so that the part can be manufactured against the data generated from the simulations. Finally, the report clearly outlines and compares each scenario and concludes with a clear recommendation of the best process. More information on StampingSimulation.com's new service offerings can be found at its Web site.